Harry Potter Pumpkin Juice
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Let’s make Harry Potter Pumpkin Juice! This gently spiced pumpkin cider can be served warm or cold. It’s the perfect drink for a movie night or Halloween party!
Anyone else have a Harry Potter movie marathon planned this time of year?
After a visit to the Wizarding World of Harry Potter at Universal Studios a couple of years ago, we’ve had so much fun recreating Harry Potter recipes at home, and this easy pumpkin juice recipe was at the top of our list!
Unlike some of the trickier-to-recreate Harry Potter recipes, like pumpkin pasties, butterbeer, and chocolate frogs, pumpkin juice couldn’t be easier to make at home. This simple pumpkin cider has notes of warm fall spice, apple, pumpkin, and a few little secret ingredients that give it its unique flavor.
It’s the perfect drink for a Harry Potter party, movie marathon, and Halloween parties!
Ready to make a batch? Let’s dive in, Harry Potter lovers! I think you’ll love this ingredient list…
Start With Simple Ingredients
One great thing about this pumpkin cider is that it channels all the flavors of fall. Between pumpkin, apple, and seasonal spices, it’s tough to beat! Let’s take a look:
- Canned Pumpkin Purée. Regular unsweetened pumpkin puree adds gorgeous color and subtle pumpkin flavor to this pumpkin cider. (Use real pumpkin, not pumpkin pie filling!)
- Brown Sugar. I normally wouldn’t sweeten juice, but I find the gentle flavor of brown sugar is worth it! That extra hint of sweetness and the caramel-like note from the molasses are lovely here.
- Pumpkin Spice. Some pumpkin pie spice adds a lovely layer of warm flavor.
- Mango Nectar. Apricot nectar, peach nectar, or mango nectar are ingredients you’ll find in a lot of Wizarding World copycat pumpkin juice recipes, since it’s rumored to be included in theirs. I was skeptical till I tried versions with and without the nectar. It’s much better with the mango nectar or apricot nectar added! Where I live mango nectar is easier to find, so I use that. (We like Ceres brand.)
- Apple Cider. Delicious apple cider makes up the bulk of this pumpkin juice since it softens the pumpkin flavor and adds natural sweetness. Be sure to buy unsweetened apple cider instead of sweetened or spiced apple cider, for best results.
- Vanilla Extract. A tiny bit of vanilla adds that magical extra “something” that keeps you coming back for just one more sip.
Can I Make It Without Sugar? I love the subtle note that the brown sugar adds to this pumpkin cider, but if you want to make pumpkin juice without added sugar, you can absolutely omit it. Or, swap it out for a little bit of pure maple syrup instead!
How To Make Pumpkin Juice, Step By Step
As always, you can find the full recipe, with ingredient amounts, detailed instructions, and tips in the printable recipe card below.
- Combine. In a large pot or Dutch oven, combine pumpkin puree, brown sugar, and pumpkin spice.
- Pour in mango nectar and apple cider. Stir to combine.
- Steep. Heat over LOW heat for 15-20 minutes to allow the spices to steep into the pumpkin juice. (At first, the spices will look clumpy, but with time and heat, they’ll dissolve and distribute into the juice.) Remove from heat and stir in the vanilla.
- Serve & Store. Enjoy warm in mugs, or chill and transfer to a large pitcher. Serve over ice for iced pumpkin juice! Store leftover pumpkin juice covered in the refrigerator 4-5 days.
Separation Is Normal!
One thing to note about this pumpkin cider is that it will separate at rest. This is totally normal! The pumpkin is more dense than the juice, and it’ll sink down to the bottom of your pot, pitcher, or punch bowl over time. Just give it a quick stir every once and a while and you’re in business!
Serve It Warm OR Cold!
In the Harry Potter books, this yummy drink is served warm and cold, depending on the occasion and time of year. In our experience, this tasty pumpkin juice recipe is great both ways!
- WARM. If you’re serving it on a chilly night (or for an outdoor movie night!), a mug of warm pumpkin cider is delightful. If you plan to serve it warm at a party, you can keep it on the stove over low heat, or transfer it to a slow cooker or Instant Pot and keep it on the WARM setting. Works like a charm!
- COLD. If it’s for a birthday party or it’s just hot out, you may prefer serving this pumpkin juice cold with plenty of ice cubes, instead!
FAQ + Tricks For The Best Pumpkin Juice
Do I Have To Use Mango Nectar? I do feel like adding the extra fruit nectar (whether it’s mango nectar, peach nectar, or apricot nectar) adds a delicious note of flavor that really makes this drink special. If you don’t have it, you can omit it entirely, add more apple cider, or swap in 1/2 cup of orange juice instead. It won’t be quite the same, but it’s still delicious!
Add A Garnish! For a fun touch, we love to serve pumpkin juice with a cinnamon stick or two. It looks gorgeous, and keeps infusing flavor as it sits! You can tuck one into each glass, or add a few to a punch bowl or pitcher. Or, you can add an apple slice or two!
Can I Use Something Besides Pumpkin Spice? Yes! If you don’t have pumpkin pie spice on hand, you can use 1/2 teaspoon cinnamon, 1/4 teaspoon ginger, 1/8 teaspoon nutmeg, and 1/8 teaspoon cloves.
🌟 Did You Make This Recipe?
Tell me all about it! Leave a star rating below when you try our homemade Pumpkin Juice recipe. I can’t wait to hear how it goes!
Harry Potter Pumpkin Juice (Pumpkin Cider)
Ingredients
- 1 cup pumpkin puree not pie filling!
- 2 Tablespoons light brown sugar
- 1 teaspoon pumpkin pie spice*
- ½ gallon apple cider
- 1 cup mango nectar*
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- Optional For Garnish: Cinnamon sticks or apple slices
Instructions
- Combine. In a large pot, combine pumpkin puree, brown sugar, and pumpkin spice.
- Pour in mango nectar and apple cider. Stir to combine.
- Steep. Heat over LOW heat for 15-20 minutes to allow the spices to steep into the pumpkin juice. (At first, the spices will look clumpy, but with time and heat, they’ll dissolve and distribute into the juice.) Remove from heat and stir in vanilla.
- To Serve WARM: Enjoy warm in mugs or heat-safe glasses. You can keep this pumpkin cider warm on the stovetop, or in a slow cooker on the WARM setting. (Great for a party!)
- To Serve COLD: Cool the juice and transfer to a large pitcher. Serve over ice or add ice cubes to your pitcher or punch bowl before serving.
- Store leftover pumpkin juice covered in the refrigerator 4-5 days.
Notes
- Pumpkin Spice: If you dont’ have pumpkin pie spice on hand, you can use 1/2 teaspoon cinnamon, 1/4 teaspoon ginger, 1/8 teaspoon nutmeg, and 1/8 teaspoon ground cloves.
- Mango Nectar. You can also use peach nectar or apricot nectar here. I find them in the shelf-stable juice section at the grocery store. This added juice adds brightness and balance to the apple and pumpkin notes. I LOVE it here and don’t recommend skipping it. If you must, just add more apple cider or 1/2 cup orange juice instead. The flavor won’t be exactly the same, but it’ll still be tasty.
- Separation Is Normal! One thing to note about this pumpkin cider is that it will separate at rest. This is totally normal! The pumpkin is more dense than the juice, and it’ll sink down to the bottom of your pot, pitcher, or punch bowl over time. Just give it a quick stir every once and a while and you’re in business!
- If Doubling. If you’re doubling this recipe, you can just use 1 full 15-ounce can of pumpkin puree, which is just slightly less than 2 full cups.
Video
Find the recipe:
sweetsandthankyou.com/pumpkin-juice/
This is very nice and pumpkin-y, totally reminds me of the one they have at Universal Studios!
I can practically hear the Harry Potter music. This is perfect for a fall movie night.